Club of Polish Losers

The Club of Polish Losers (German: Club der polnischen Versager, Polish: Klub Polskich Nieudaczników) is a Berlin-based institution of German-Polish cultural exchange, operating as a registered non-profit association (e.V.). It grew out of a regulars' table of Polish artists living in Berlin and was opened on 1 September 2001 at Torstraße 66 in the Mitte district by the Bund der polnischen Versager – Polenmarkt e.V., founded by Piotr Mordel and Leszek Oświęcimski. Wojciech Stamm, Joanna Bednarska, Tomasz Sosiński and Adam Gusowski later joined; all had come from Poland in the 1980s. The club's members work on a voluntary basis and pursue their professions outside the club. Since its founding, the club has positioned itself programmatically, in its furnishings and through its name against the culture of success, instead presenting failure in its various aspects as a desirable goal. The Polish word nieudacznik contains not only the sense of 'loser' but also that of the restless. The club's programme includes concerts, readings, exhibitions and screenings of Polish and other East-Central European films. Further activities of its operators Adam Gusowski and Piotr Mordel include the Leutnant-Show on Radio Multikulti of RBB, crowned in 2008 by the gala Keine Angst vor den Polen – Sie wollen nur spielen in the ARD broadcaster's Sendesaal, and Die Ostseeerweiterung, a cinematic self-portrait of the club. The club quickly gained prominence through its provocative name and mentions in nationwide mass media. Since 2007 it has been located at Ackerstraße 169. It also includes the Versager-Verlag publishing house, which released Leszek Oświęcimski's story Club der polnischen Wurstmenschen. The German-Austrian television film Seit Du da bist, broadcast by ARD in December 2016, used the club's name in what the operators considered a misuse, and according to their own account a lawsuit against ARD was filed. On 9 May 2017 the club received the annual European prize 'Blauer Bär', awarded by the Berlin Senate Department for Culture and Europe and the Representation of the European Commission in Germany, honouring exemplary Berlin initiatives that contribute to the growing together of Europe. Adam Gusowski commented that the prize serves as a credit of trust they wish to repay, encouraging further European projects. In January 2018 it became known that within the club's circle a decision had been made to found a political party named Polnische Partei Deutschlands (PPD), pro-European and anti-populist, aiming to advance democratic thinking with humour and satire; the PPD intends to focus mainly on politics in Germany, although the founders are particularly concerned about the current division of Polish society. The club describes itself as more than a location: a platform for analogue communication, an experimental arrangement for all willing participants. It is a Berlin institution where knowledge of Polish is not necessary, sometimes even a burden. It is open when the door is not closed, mostly Fridays and Saturdays from 20:00. The club's activities include the FilmPOLSKA Festival, the Schokoladen, Hofffest, Film Versager PL, Blauer Bär 2017, the 2021 award for artistic project spaces and initiatives, Seit du da bist, renovation, and schipko schipko production. It also runs the satirical podcast 'à propos', which since 2023 is a new incarnation of 'Gaulojzes Golana' (1997–2022), produced by Adam Gusowski, Piotr Mordel and Ewa Lewy and recorded at the Berlin studio of Rundfunk Berlin Brandenburg (rbb) for COSMO po polsku, broadcast on the public station COSMO, previously Funkhaus Europa (WDR).

The Club of Polish Losers (German: Club der polnischen Versager, Polish: Klub Polskich Nieudaczników) is an institution of German-Polish cultural exchange in Berlin. Its origins lie in a regulars' table of Polish artists living in Berlin. In 1994 Leszek Oświęcimski wrote the ironic 'Little Manifesto of the Polish Losers', which seven years later gave the club its name. The club was opened on 1 September 2001 at Torstraße 66 in the Mitte district by the Bund der polnischen Versager – Polenmarkt e.V., founded by Piotr Mordel and Leszek Oświęcimski. Wojciech Stamm, Joanna Bednarska, Tomasz Sosiński and Adam Gusowski later joined; all had come from Poland in the 1980s. The members active in the club work on a voluntary basis and pursue their professions outside the club. Since its founding, the club has positioned itself programmatically, in terms of its furnishings and through its name against the culture of success. Instead, it presents failure in its various aspects as a desirable goal. The Polish word nieudacznik contains not only the sense of 'loser' but also that of the restless. The club's programme includes concerts, readings, exhibitions and screenings of Polish and other East-Central European films. Further activities of its operators Adam Gusowski and Piotr Mordel include the Leutnant-Show on Radio Multikulti of RBB, which was crowned in 2008 by the gala 'Keine Angst vor den Polen – Sie wollen nur spielen' in the Sendesaal of the ARD broadcaster, and 'Die Ostseeerweiterung', a cinematic self-portrait of the club. The club quickly gained prominence through its provocative name and mentions in nationwide mass media. Since 2007 it has been located at Ackerstraße 169. The club also includes the Versager-Verlag publishing house, which published Leszek Oświęcimski's story 'Club der polnischen Wurstmenschen'. The German-Austrian television film 'Seit Du da bist', broadcast by ARD in December 2016, used the club's name in what the operators considered a misuse, and according to their own account a lawsuit against ARD was filed. On 9 May 2017 the club was awarded the annual European prize 'Blauer Bär', donated by the Berlin Senate Department for Culture and Europe and the Representation of the European Commission in Germany, which honours exemplary Berlin initiatives, associations, projects and individuals that contribute through their civil-society engagement to the growing together of Europe and its people and stand up for common European values. Adam Gusowski commented: 'The prize we received serves as a credit of trust that we would like to repay, which encourages us to create further European projects.' In January 2018 it became known that within the circle of the Club of Polish Losers a decision had been made to found a political party named Polnische Partei Deutschlands (PPD), which is to be pro-European and anti-populist and to advance democratic thinking with humour and satire. The PPD intends to concern itself essentially with politics in Germany, even though the party founders are particularly worried about the current division of Polish society. The club describes itself as more than a location: a platform for analogue communication, an experimental arrangement for all willing participants. It is a Berlin institution where knowledge of Polish is not necessary, sometimes even a burden. It is open when the door is not closed, mostly Fridays and Saturdays from 20:00. The club's activities include the FilmPOLSKA Festival, the Schokoladen, Hofffest, Film Versager PL, Blauer Bär 2017, the 2021 award for artistic project spaces and initiatives, Seit du da bist, renovation, and schipko schipko production. It also runs the satirical podcast 'à propos', which since 2023 is a new incarnation of 'Gaulojzes Golana' (1997–2022), produced by Adam Gusowski, Piotr Mordel and Ewa Lewy and recorded at the Berlin studio of Rundfunk Berlin Brandenburg (rbb) for COSMO po polsku, broadcast on the public station COSMO, previously Funkhaus Europa (WDR).

• 2023

  Satirical podcast 'à propos' launches as successor to 'Gaulojzes Golana' (1997–2022).

• 2018

  Decision announced in January to found the Polnische Partei Deutschlands (PPD).

• 2017

  Club awarded the 'Blauer Bär' European prize on 9 May.

• 2016

  ARD television film 'Seit Du da bist' broadcast in December; club files lawsuit over name use.

• 2012

  Book 'Der Club der polnischen Versager' by Adam Gusowski and Piotr Mordel published (Reinbek).

• 2008

  Leutnant-Show crowned by gala 'Keine Angst vor den Polen – Sie wollen nur spielen' in the ARD Sendesaal.

• 2007

  Club moves to Ackerstraße 169.

• 2001

  Club opened on 1 September at Torstraße 66 in Berlin-Mitte by the Bund der polnischen Versager – Polenmarkt e.V.

• 1994

  Leszek Oświęcimski writes the ironic 'Little Manifesto of the Polish Losers'.

A non-profit cultural club and satirical brand that positions itself against the culture of success, celebrating failure and fostering German-Polish exchange through humour, art and analogue communication.

• Club der polnischen Versager venue

  A club and event space at Ackerstraße 169 in Berlin-Mitte, open when the door is not closed, mostly Fridays and Saturdays from 20:00.

• Satirical podcast 'à propos'

  A satirical podcast by Adam Gusowski, Piotr Mordel and Ewa Lewy, recorded at the rbb studio for COSMO po polsku; since 2023 a new incarnation of 'Gaulojzes Golana' (1997–2022).

• Versager-Verlag

  The club's publishing house, which released Leszek Oświęcimski's story 'Club der polnischen Wurstmenschen'.

• FilmPOLSKA Festival

  A film festival activity of the club.

• Lawsuit against ARD over 'Seit Du da bist'

Read more

• Leutnant-Show
• Die Ostseeerweiterung
• Polnische Partei Deutschlands (PPD)

1. 1Club der polnischen Versager e.V. | Klub polskich nieudacznikówpolnischeversager.de
2. 2à propos satyra | Club der polnischen Versager e.V.polnischeversager.de
3. 3Club of Polish Losers - Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4Club der polnischen Versager - Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org